Brassiere



March 28, 1967 H. SAYERS BRASSIERE Filed April 2, 1965 4 INVENTOR. Zzl/z'arr H Sayers W W (A,

,4 7'7'0RA/[V5 United States Patent O York Filed Apr. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 445,159 3 Claims. (Cl. 128-425) The present invention relates to a brassiere having improved functional characteristics which impart to the wearer greatly increased comfort without in any way interfering with the esthetic appearance of the garment.

One of the primary sources of discomforts in a brassiere is the riding up elfect, especially as it occurs in the back of the garment. This riding up effect is particularly pronounced when the wearer is engaged in a forward bending movement, as such movement causes an upward pull at the back of the brassiere.

In accordance with the present invention, the brassiere is provided with side bands which are constructed in a novel way so as to direct any forces applied to the back of the brassiere in a circumferential direction rather than a vertical direction. As a result thereof, body movements which create stresses in the brassiere transmit the resulting forces to the back of the brassiere essentially in a circumferential direction and thus prevent such back from riding up.

Another main source of discomfort to the wearer is the problem of underarm clearance. More specifically, if sufficient underarm clearance is provided, it requires the use of relatively narrow side bands in the brassiere. Such narrow side bands, however, while they provide suflicient underarm clearance, do not offer adequate support, interfere with the fit of the brassiere in the underarm region, and create in most instances substantial bulging out of the flesh in such region. On the other hand, if a wide side band is provided in the brassiere, the flesh bulging problem may be eliminated but at the same time the underarm clearance is substantially reduced.

In accordance with the present construction, a novel side band which maintains the desirable underarm clearance is provided without, however, giving rise to the bulging problem of the prior art.

The novel construction of the present invention consists in the provision of a side band made of two separate pieces joined together along a line of stitching oblique to the vertical and collectively defining a V-shaped upper edge, for said side band. In accordance with such construction, the side band has great flexibility which permits the V-shape-d upper edge to acquire increasing angularity without, however, interfering with the fit of the brassiere. Also, this side band construction results in the transmittal of any forces applied to the brassiere by the bending movement to the side band in a circumferential direction, and thus prevent the riding up at the back of the brassiere.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a brassiere having improved functional characteristics which prevent riding up at the back of the brassiere when the wearer is engaged in bending movement.

It is another object of the present invention to provide, in a brassiere, an improved side band which provides the desired underarm clearance without, however, interfering with the fit of the brassiere and without causing flesh bulging adjacent the edges of the side band.

Another object is the provision of a two-piece side band in a brassiere secured together along a line of stitching oblique to the vertical and collectively defining a V-shaped upper edge.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood ice from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view in elevation of the brassiere in open distended condition;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the wearer of the brassiere in upright position; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but with the wearer engaged in forward bending movement.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly FIG. 1, the brassiere 10 in accordance with the invention comprises front sections 12 and 14 joined together along their abutting edges such as by stitched seam 16. Front sections 12 and 14 include breast receiving pockets 1'8 and 20, respectively. Attached to front sections 12 and 14, as by lines of stitching 22 and 24, respectively, are side bands 26 and 28. These side bands are provided, at their free ends, with fastening elements such as hooks 30 on side band 26 adapted for engagement with eyes 32 on side band 28, when brassiere 10 is to be worn. Conventional shoulder straps 34 and 36 are attached at opposite ends to the associated breast cups and side bands, respectively, such straps being also provided with conventional adjustable buckle type connectors 38 and 40.

In accordance with the invention, each of the side bands is made of two sections distinctively shaped and secured together in a particular manner. More specifically, side band 26 comprises inner section 42 and outer section 44.

Inner section 42 is of generally three edged configuration and is secured to front section 12 along edge 46 thereof, as by previously mentioned line of stitching 22. The other two edges of inner section 42 consist of bottom edge 48 which helps define the lower edge of brassiere 10, and edge 50 which extends between the opposed ends of edges 46 and 48 and which, it will be noted, is substantially continuous with the adjoining upper contour edge of the associated breast receiving pocket 18 and is thus oblique to both the vertical and circumferential direction of the brassiere.

Outer section 44 of side band 26 is defined by edge 52 secured to edge 50 of inner section 42 in abutting relation thereto, by a bottom edge 54 which is continuous with bottom edge 48 and cooperates therewith to help define the lower edge of the brassiere 10, and by upper edge 56 which extends between the rear strap 34, and inner section 42. It will be noted that upper edge is oblique to both the vertical and circumferential direction of the brassiere and thus defines, together with upper edge 50 a V-shaped upper contour edge in the brassiere which is located, as best seen in FIG. 2, in the underarm region of the wearer.

Side band 28 is in all respects a mirror reflection of side band 26 and is thus made of inner section 58 and outer section 60 secured to each other in abutting relation along line of stitching 62. Upper edges 64 and 66 of sections 58 and 60, respectively, collectively define a V-shaped upper contour edge in the brassiere which is located in the other underarm region of the wearer.

Referring to FIG. 2, it will be noted that the V-shaped upper contour edge of brassiere 10, resulting from the construction described above, provides the requisite amount of underarm clearance to the wearer, without however producing flesh bulging and interfering with the fit and support of the brassiere. More specifically, it will be noted that outer section 44 gradually increases in width from the apex 68 of the V to the point of connection of strap 34 and such imparts support to the wearer along a sufiiciently wide area to prevent the undesirable bulging efiect.

FIG. 3 illustrates the effect caused by the wearers forward bending movement. Specifically, the stresses applied to the brassiere as a result of such movement causes inner and outer sections 42 and 44 to pivot with respect to each other resulting in the widening or spreading of the V. In other words, the increased body dimensions caused by the bending movement are taken up by the spreading of the V and in that way reduce to an insignificant'extent the stresses which would otherwise be transmitted to the other parts of the brassiere, particularly the shoulder straps. The net result of such action is that no significant forces are transmitted by the shoulder straps to the rear of the brassiere eliminating thereby the upward pull at the back which causes the undesirable riding up effect.

Another reason for the elimination of the riding up effect is that the spreading of the V, under the applied stresses, tends to direct all forces imparted to the brassiere in a primarily circumferential direction, about the wearer, since such spreading, in fact, increases the circumferential dimension of the brassiere and decreases the vertical dimensions thereof. Such deliberate and intended deformation reduces the vertical forces transmitted through theshoulder straps and in turn reduces the riding up effect.

The novel side band construction described above can be made of any conventional material which is not re quired to be elastic. In fact, it is within the scope of the invention to make such side bands out'of non-stretchable lace fabric. The advantages of the novel side band con structions are equally present, however, where the side bands are made of stretchable material, with the stretch running in'a direction circumferentially of the wearer.

While I have herein shown and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described, and that in the illustrated embodiments certain changes in the details of construction and in the form and arrangement of parts may be madewithout departing from the underlying idea or principles of this invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what-I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A brassiere comprising:

a pair of bust cup carrying front portions secured together in side-by-side relation;

a side band connected to and extending from the outer edge of each front portion and terminating in a free end;

fastening means provided at said free ends, respectively,

for releasable securement to each other;

each of said side bands comprising an inner section and an outer section secured to each other in generally abutting relation along a securing line intermediate the associated front portion and the free end of the side band;

said side band having an upper edge forming a V, the legs of which are defined, respectively, by the upper edges of said pair of sections;

said securing line extending downwardly from the apex of said V and co-linearly with the V-leg defining edge of the inner side band section;

said V-leg defining edge of said inner band section being generally continuous with the adjoining upper contour edge of the associated front portion;

said side band sections being stretchable in a direction circumferentially of the wearer.

2. A brassiere comprising:

a pair of bust cup carrying front portions secured together in side-by-side relation;

a side band connected to and extending from the outer edge of each front portion and terminating in a free end;

fastening means provided at said free ends, respectively,

fore releasable securement to each other;

each of said side bands comprising an inner section and an outer section secured to each other in generally abutting relation along a securing line intermediate the associated front portion and the free end of the side band;

said side band having an upper edge forming a V, the legs of which are both inclined from the horizontal and are defined, respectively, by the upper edges of said pair of sections;

the apex of said V being substantially in line with the armpit of the wearer when the brassiere is in position on the body of the wearer;

said securing line extending downwardly from the apex of said V and co-linearly with the V-leg defining edge of one of the side band sections.

3. A brassiere in accordance with claim 2 wherein said side bands are stretchable in a direction circumferentially of the wearer.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,822,872 9/ 1931 Alexander 128492 1,871,106 8/1932 Yerkes 128-508 3,066,676 12/1962 Kaupp 128-498 FOREIGN PATENTS 215,082 5/ 1958 Australia.

ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BRASSIERE COMPRISING: A PAIR OF BUST CUP CARRYING FRONT PORTIONS SECURED TOGETHER IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION; A SIDE BAND CONNECTED TO AND EXTENDING FROM THE OUTER EDGE OF EACH FRONT PORTION AND TERMINATING IN A FREE END; FASTENING MEANS PROVIDED AT SAID FREE ENDS, RESPECTIVELY, FOR RELEASABLE SECUREMENT TO EACH OTHER; EACH OF SAID SIDE BANDS COMPRISING AN INNER SECTION AND AN OUTER SECTION SECURED TO EACH OTHER IN GENERALLY ABUTTING RELATION ALONG A SECURING LINE INTERMEDIATE THE ASSOCIATED FRONT PORTION AND THE FREE END OF THE SIDE BAND; SAID SIDE BAND HAVING AN UPPER EDGE FORMING A V, THE LEGS OF WHICH ARE DEFINED, RESPECTIVELY, BY THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID PAIR OF SECTIONS; 